Yes, it was windier than usual in April. Here's why.
Spring storms have brought some windier-than-usual days to Iowa in the past month.
The average wind speed for the month of April was 12.8 mph, and the windiest day of the month was April 3 with a 21.2 mph average wind speed and gusts up to 56 mph.
For comparison, the average wind speed in Des Moines is about 10 mph, said Donna Dubberke, meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service's office in Des Moines. Usually, April ranks as the windiest month in Des Moines. March comes in second, then January.
Why has it been so windy in Des Moines?
Very strong wind gusts are usually associated with thunderstorms and severe weather, which the metro has seen a lot of in the past month.
Dubberke said that the stronger average spring winds are driven by the large temperature difference from north to south across the U.S. and jet stream's migration across the Midwest.
"This time of year the jet stream is shifting from the southern U.S., where it prevails during the winter, to its more northern location for the summer," Dubberke said.
During this time, the atmosphere is trying to balance the temperature differences between Canada and the southern U.S.
More: When the wind picks up, so does Iowa's electricity generation. See the daily changes
What are the windiest days on record in Des Moines?
While April 2024 felt windier in Des Moines, the capital city did not set any new records for average daily wind speeds during the month.
Here's a look at the five days with the highest average wind speeds recorded, according to the NWS:
Nov. 10, 1998: 32.2 mph
Dec. 1, 1985: 28.9 mph
Dec. 23, 2022: 28.4 mph
April 7, 2001: 28.2 mph
April 6, 1997: 27.7 mph
Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Yes, April was windier than usual for Des Moines, Iowa. Here's why.
